Moments From Another Life
by starlight.moon.princess
Summary: Ron never returns from Shell Cottage, and Harry and Hermione have to go with the quest for the Horcruxes on their own. ::Epistolary, AU. Please read the other warnings inside.::


**This was written for the "What If" Competition on HPFC, with the prompt _What if Ron never came back from Shell Cottage?_**

**WARNINGS: Extreme AU, mentions of slash of the Drarry variety throughout the fic, Ron bashing.**

* * *

Ron's gone. He's _gone_. I can't believe – how could he?!

I never imagined he'd be capable of doing something like this. Even if the Horcrux was affecting him, how could he betray us – betray Harry – like that? And he blamed poor Harry for everything…

It's not Harry's fault. We _knew_ what we were getting into. And the fact that Ron could say that Harry didn't care what happened to Ginny, Neville and Luna – our _friends_ – I don't know who that person was. It definitely wasn't the Ron I know and love.

I don't know what we're going to do, or where we're going to go. We'll probably continue on to Godric's Hollow. As loath as I am to admit it, it may be the best lead we've got so far.

I'm still in shock over Ron. The fact that he could abandon us without second thought…I just don't know anymore.

_Hermione Granger._

* * *

We reached Godric's Hollow today.

I didn't realise how badly we'd lost track of time.

If we're right, it's Christmas. I can't help but remember last year. We were all at the Burrow. Percy had returned with the Minister, and Ron was still dating Lavender. When I think back, it was a stupid thing, my jealousy.

We were never suited for each other.

I've finally accepted it. Ron isn't coming back.

I know Harry's realised the same thing; I can see it in his eyes.

Sometimes I wonder what I ever saw in Ron. My mind keeps returning to the way he acted when Harry's name came out of the Goblet of Fire.

Did we miss the signs? Was he always this way, even without the Horcrux?

I don't know.

We're at Bathilda Bagshot's home. There's something wrong with her, I can fee –

I managed to save Harry from Nagini; which is a relief; but his wand got broken in the process.

I know it isn't my fault, but I can't stop feeling guilty. If only I'd acted sooner –

But it's no use dwelling on what ifs.

We found out who the thief in Harry's vision was. Gridleward! And it turns out he was a friend of Dumbledore's! If Skeeter hadn't confessed to drugging Ms. Bagshot with Veritaserum, I wouldn't have believed it. But everything she's written about their friendship is true…the fact that Dumbledore once wanted to rule over Muggles is mind-boggling.

And yet, all I can think of is Harry. He's distraught, obviously. Learning your mentor once shared similar ideals that your greatest enemy holds – well, that can't be easy.

I'm praying for a silver lining to all the dark clouds we've been gathering. I don't know if either of us can continue with this for much longer.

_Hermione Granger._

* * *

Harry woke me up in the middle of the night to tell me he had destroyed the soul-fragment in Slytherin's locket.

He said that he saw a slivery light emanating from the trees, a silver doe to be exact, and followed it to a pond in the middle of the forest. At the bottom of the water was the Sword of Gryffindor.

Like an idiot, he dove in to grab the Sword without informing me of his whereabouts. Apparently, the Horcrux around his neck tried to choke him – it probably detected the Basilisk venom on the Sword – but Harry managed to retrieve it and return to the surface before it could do any lasting damage.

He opened the locket with Parseltongue, but here's where it gets strange.

He said before he could kill it, the fragment of Voldemort in the locket showed him images, like the Diary did.

Only, these images weren't of a past that had already taken place. Instead, they were of Harry's secret fears.

He told me he saw Voldemort winning, of everyone we know dead. He said – Merlin, I can't even write this without crying – he said that he saw the Weasleys and me rejecting him like Ron did. He said he saw us turning him away. I broke down in tears when he said that.

But along with these, he saw something rather – _unexpected_. He saw Malfoy; _Draco Malfoy_, being tortured by Voldemort. He said he saw himself holding Malfoy as he died, repeating that he loved him over and over again.

Needless to say, I was shocked. It's a rather impossible thought, Harry and Malfoy together. Besides, Harry's in love with Ginny, not Malfoy.

But the thing is, once I really thought about it, I realised that makes sense, in an odd sort of way. Harry's been obsessed with Malfoy ever since we started Hogwarts, and Malfoy's been obsessed with him right back. If they weren't enemies, I have no doubt they would have made the best of the friends.

Besides, doesn't the saying go that only a thin line separates hate and love? It's easy to see how Harry could have mistaken love for a darker emotion, especially as it concerned Malfoy.

But that's not something we can do anything about at the moment. I know Harry says that Malfoy's being tortured into helping Voldemort, but there's no possible way we can help him right now.

The Horcruxes come first.

I hope – I hope both of them survive this war, I hope Malfoy feels the same for Harry. Harry deserves some real happiness in his life.

It's strange. Harry's just discovered his feelings for Malfoy, and yet when it comes to Ron and me I can't seem to bother anymore. I spent the longest time angry with him for leaving, and yet now, I'm just – I couldn't care less. Apathetic is the word for it. I'm apathetic towards Ron.

I just _can't_.

_Hermione Granger_

* * *

Harry thinks Mr. Lovegood's right about the existence of the Deathly Hallows. He thinks that's what Voldemort's after.

I have to disagree. The story of the Hallows is fanciful one. I doubt they ever existed. If one was stretching, maybe you could say the wand had existed, but the other two? Doubtful. And I do not think Voldemort would be interested in the Cloak and the Stone. At most, all he is searching for is the Wand.

The news about the Snatchers and the fact that Voldemort has jinxed his name was much more helpful. It certainly explains how the Death Eaters found us after we escaped Bill and Fleur's wedding.

It worries me. We've managed to keep from saying the name somehow while we've been on the run, but I don't think Harry will be able to keep from saying it out loud sooner or later.

And with Harry wandless…

I'm worried.

_Hermione Granger_

* * *

It's been an eventful couple of days.

I was right. Harry _wasn't_ able to keep from saying Voldemort's name, and the Snatchers got to us. Luckily, I managed to hex Harry before they saw who he was.

We might have gotten away with our pretence of being half-bloods, had it not been for the fact that the Snatchers found the Sword of Gryffindor in the tent. Our fate was sealed after that.

We were taken to Malfoy Manor, and Lucius Malfoy tried to get Draco to identify us. I thought for sure he would give Harry away, but surprisingly, he lied. Even though it was obvious he had recognized Harry, he told his parents and Bellatrix – _Bellatrix_ – that he wasn't sure.

But he couldn't do anything for me. I hadn't been able to obscure my features, and if he had lied about me too, he would have been the first to die.

I cannot blame him. He did what he could. It was in that one moment that I saw the Draco Harry is in love with, instead of the one I have been seeing all these years.

Once Bellatrix knew she had a Mudblood on her hands, well – I cannot think about those dreadful moments, not even to write them down. All I will say is that I thought for sure I was going to die.

And then – the Harry appeared, Dobby by his side. Apparently, Dobby had been told where to take us in an emergency, so harry did not have to worry about that.

Getting away from Malfoy Manor was hard – with Bellatrix and the elder Malfoys after us, there were moments where I thought that Dobby's appearance was all for naught.

But somehow, we managed it. And Harry grabbed a couple of wands from Draco, making sure that the two of us had usable wands to make up for the ones we had lost.

The story doesn't end there. The most surprising part is what happened just as Dobby was about to whisk us away. Harry held out his hand and Draco grabbed on to it!

Somehow, we've managed to add Draco Malfoy to our little company of two.

Dobby brought us to Shell Cottage, Bill and Fleur's new home. It turns out he'd managed to rescue Luna, Dean, Mr Ollivander and Griphook the Goblin from the Malfoy's dungeons, where they were being held after Snatchers and Death Eater had captured them.

Unfortunately, Bellatrix managed to hit Dobby with a knife before we escaped, and Dobby – poor, brave little Dobby, who had only ever wanted the best for "Harry Potter" –

I can't.

_Hermione Granger_

* * *

Ronald Weasley.

Oh how I hate that name.

That right git! It turns out he's been sitting tight at Shell Cottage for _months_ now! He hasn't had the guts to go home and face the twins and Ginny's reactions, and he didn't even _bother_ to tell Bill and Fleur that he abandoned us!

And then – then he has the _nerve_ to start screaming at Harry for bringing Malfoy to the Cottage, even though Bill is fine with it. Bill! Bill, who has the most reason to hate Malfoy is fine with it.

And he – How _dare_ he!

That boy makes me _so_ angry!

And on top of that, he's pretending like he actually cares that I'm injured. Not a word to Harry, and he's roaming around me, pretending to sympathise with me. And yet, all he can do is badmouth Harry at the same time.

He's trying to get me to blame Harry for Bellatrix's attack on me. What a joke. He doesn't care about me one bit, all he wants is someone else to hate Harry with.

Merlin, I don't even know what I liked about him in the first place.

_Hermione Granger_

* * *

Harry kissed Draco today.

It's first thing I've had to truly smile about since we got to the Cottage. Don't get me wrong, it's a lovely house, and Bill and Fleur are so welcoming, but with Ron here, it's almost as though there's a dark cloud hanging over us.

He still hasn't let go of his hatred to Harry, preferring to brood in silence instead.

Where I would have once attributed his change in personality to the Horcrux he carried with him, it's obvious that this is who he really is. The effect of the Horcrux only lasts so long if you're away from it. Besides, Harry and I carried it with us for a much longer time, and we were nowhere nearly as affected.

But today – today was different. Today Harry finally got up the courage to tell Draco how he feels about him. And he even kissed him!

Not even Ron's new temper tantrum at the sight of Harry snogging Draco can affect my good mood.

I've never seen Harry as happy as he is today. Over the last few weeks at the Cottage, I've really seen a different side of Draco Malfoy. Away from the influence of his parents and Voldemort, it's like he's a completely new person. It's no wonder Harry fell in love with him – with the amount of time he spent watching Draco last year, he must have seen the true Draco before any of us did.

Today was a good day. The first good one in a long time.

_Hermione Granger_

* * *

It's decided. After a long discussion with Griphook, there just doesn't seem any other way possible. The only way to get to the Horcrux in Bellatrix's vault is to break into Gringotts.

It's stupid, and foolhardy, and extreme even for Harry and me, but it's the only way possible.

We explained everything that was going on to Draco. It was the only thing we could do. He's the one who knows Bellatrix the best among all of us, and his insight was extremely valuable. Besides, Harry couldn't stand the idea of lying to Draco.

It's been a dark and depressing couple of days. Even Bill and Fleur have picked up on our emotions and are on edge. Besides, I think Bill has an inkling of what we're planning, which is making everything worse for him.

It's difficult for him, knowing there's no way to protect us from this.

The only bright spark we've had in days – apart from Harry and Draco's relationship, that is – is the news of Tonks giving birth.

A little boy, who's just like her. That's who we're fighting. The new generation. The children to come.

She and Remus have named their son after his grandfather. Ted Tonks will never see the birth of his grandson. The poor man was killed in the same raid that resulted in the capture of Dean and Griphook.

Still, the news of the birth is cause for celebration. And they named Harry godfather! I think he nearly cried when Remus asked him. It reminded him of Sirius was to him. That boy is going to lucky to have Harry as his godfather. He won't let himself be less than what Sirius was to him, and regardless of how much I disagreed with him, Sirius was a brilliant role model to Harry.

Still, the plan looms over our head. We're leaving tomorrow.

This may well be the last time I write in this diary. I've tried my best to stay as positive as I can, so I'll end this last entry with a prayer that everything will indeed, be okay.

_Hermione Granger._

* * *

_For:_

_The Diagon Alley Fic crawl, Madam Primpernelle's Beautifying Potions_

_The If You Dare Challenge, Prompt 856. A Different Planet_

_Character Diversity Bootcamp, Prompt 19. Writing_

_HP Potions Competition, Baruffio's Brain Elixir_

_Hogwarts Classes Competition, Study of Ancient Ruins_

_Fantastic Beasts Challenge, Re'em_


End file.
